Grab your boots, a shovel and take on a good deed

This Family Day you can help out others in the community by taking on a Good Deed, or two.

Dave Hanley is a resident of the nearby town of Stratford. He is newly retired and spends many winter afternoons maintaining neighbours driveways and entrances.

Hanley says “if I know of a neighbour who is away for the weekend I’ll take on the duty of clearing their driveways, so when they come home there isn’t loads of snow to be shoveled.”

Hanley adds that one neighbour spends the winter months in the south, so he clears their driveway as frequently as his own. He says “Our neighbour has now allowed us to use their parking spaces when needed.”

Hanley feels that doing these little deeds really pays off. “It creates a good morale in the neighbourhood.”

He says “I know if I was away for a certain length of time and mother nature dumped an unmanageable amount of snow, my neighbours would do their best to clear my driveway until I return.”

Hanley dressed warmly this Family Day and spent some of his afternoon clearing a neighbours driveway, who is away for the weekend. He says “there is nothing worse than coming home to a driveway you can’t drive into.”

With the unpredictable weather, you never know when a large amount of snow may drop. Take it to the neighbourhood to do your Good Deeds, as you never know when you’ll be the one needing a extra hand shoveling.

There are plenty of good deeds you can do, other than shoveling snow.

Here are some ideas:

•  Make a double-batch of something and give it to a neighbour  
• Donate it to your local food bank or shelter.
• Come spring cut some flowers for your neighbours or local nursing home, or buy some from a local florist
• Not just shoveling snow but raking leaves can also be a good deed when the time is right
• Hold the door for people behind you, especially if the person behind is carrying packages, bags or kids. 
• Volunteer at a local program, Pillar Non Profit can connect you with many places looking for volunteers
• Make soup for a neighbour who may be recovering from surgery or an illness
• Deice your neighbours car if they’ve been away and snow has fallen